Chapter 2 - The Man Waiting Outside Room 814
Thirty minutes later, Julian walked through Northwestern Memorial Hospital holding Alba’s hand.
He had presided over murder trials without fear.
Yet approaching his daughter’s hospital room frightened him more than any defendant ever had.
Outside Room 814 stood Derek Cole.
Expensive suit.
Perfect tie.
Calm smile.
Two child welfare agents waited beside him holding paperwork.
Derek saw Julian.
“Judge Vance.”
He extended his hand.
Julian ignored it.
“I assume you’ve reviewed our filing,” Derek continued. “We’re trying to protect Alba while Clara is unable to provide appropriate—”
“Stop.”
Derek’s smile faded.
Julian stepped closer.
“Marcus Vance was arrested twenty minutes ago.”
Derek’s face changed.
Barely.
But Julian saw it.
“Who?”
“My clerk.”
“I don’t understand what that has to do with me.”
“Then you’ll enjoy explaining the forty-two thousand dollars transferred into his account.”
Derek’s attorney grabbed his arm.
“Derek, don’t answer.”
Julian turned to the child welfare workers.
“The order you were given was obtained using forged judicial authorization. The custody proceedings have been stayed pending investigation.”
Both agents immediately stepped away.
Derek stared at Julian.
“You can’t interfere with a family case because she’s your daughter.”
“I’m not adjudicating it.”
Julian’s voice remained calm.
“I’m reporting a crime committed using my credentials.”
He opened Clara’s door.
The woman inside barely resembled the stubborn young attorney who had once stormed out of his chambers.
Clara lay beneath a white blanket.
A knit cap covered her head.
Her face was pale.
Alba ran.
“Mommy!”
Clara’s entire body seemed to awaken.
She caught Alba against her chest.
Julian remained near the door.
Clara looked over her daughter’s shoulder.
“You came.”
Three words.
That was all.
Julian approached.
“I should have come two years ago.”
Clara said nothing.
He sat beside her.
“I know sorry doesn’t erase anything.”
“No.”
“I know.”
Her eyes filled.
“Why now?”
“Because a five-year-old embarrassed me in front of an entire courtroom.”
Clara almost smiled.
Almost.
Julian took her hand.
“Because I finally realized being right meant nothing if I lost everyone I loved.”
She looked toward Alba.
“I don’t need you to rescue me.”
“I know.”
“I need you to believe me.”
“I do.”
That broke something inside her.
Clara began crying.
Julian leaned forward.
Father and daughter held each other for the first time in two years.
But the reunion lasted only minutes.
Detective Lena Torres from the State’s Attorney’s investigative unit entered.
“Judge Vance?”
Julian stood.
Torres glanced toward Clara.
“I apologize, but there’s been a development.”
“What development?”
“Marcus has requested counsel.”
“Expected.”
“He also claims Derek wasn’t the person who initially approached him.”
Julian’s expression changed.
“Who did?”
“He won’t say.”
“Why?”
Torres looked toward the hallway.
“Because he says that person can destroy his entire family.”
Julian’s jaw tightened.
Torres handed him a photocopy.
“We also traced the first unauthorized search of Clara’s county insurance file.”
Julian examined the timestamp.
Four months earlier.
Two days after Clara’s diagnosis.
The access account belonged to someone identified only by an administrative master credential.
“Who owns this?”
“Several senior administrators.”
“How many?”
“Seven.”
“Names?”
Torres hesitated.
“One is the Chief Judge’s administrative office.”
Julian looked at her.
Another was Marcus.
Two belonged to records supervisors.
And the last three were assigned to court executives.
Torres lowered her voice.
“One of them accessed Clara’s file again fifteen minutes ago.”
Julian stared at her.
“After Marcus was arrested?”
“Yes.”
That meant whoever was involved knew the investigation had begun.
And they were still inside the system.
Torres’s phone buzzed.
She checked it.
Her face changed.
“What?”
“Someone just attempted to remotely wipe the emergency filing archive.”
Julian stood.
“Can they?”
“IT stopped most of it.”
“Most?”
Torres met his eyes.
“Judge Vance, somebody deleted thirty-seven sealed orders before the server was locked.”
Clara listened from the bed.
“Dad?”
Julian turned.
“What if I wasn’t the first?”
The room fell silent.
Julian understood immediately.
If his forged signature had been used once, it could have been used before.
Not merely for Clara.
For other families.
Other medical records.
Other custody cases.
Other lives.
Then Evelyn entered holding Alba’s sunflower picture.
“Julian.”
“What?”
“There are reporters downstairs.”
“How?”
“They already know Marcus was arrested.”
Torres looked alarmed.
“That information hasn’t been released.”
Julian stared through the hospital window.
Someone had leaked the arrest within minutes.
Someone was controlling information from inside the courthouse.
Then Julian’s phone rang.
UNKNOWN NUMBER.
He answered.
No greeting.
A distorted voice spoke.
“You should have stayed on the bench, Judge.”
Julian’s eyes hardened.
“Who is this?”
“Your daughter survived cancer longer than expected.”
Julian stood perfectly still.
The voice continued.
“But careers are much easier to kill.”
The call ended.
Julian looked toward Clara.
This was no longer only a custody fight.
May you like
Someone had just threatened his daughter.
And for the first time, Julian realized Derek might not be the most dangerous person in the story.
